The Dental Research Institute at The University of Michigan is one of five regional centers. The scientific efforts of this Institute continue to be directed at the problems of importance to the dental health of the people of the United States. The research at this Institute is concentrated on three Program Areas: (1) Dental Caries, (2) Periodontal Disease, and (3) Viral Diseases of the Oral Cavity. Research on dental caries includes methods of bacteriology, physical chemistry, applied physics, molecular biology and immunology. The research on periodontal disease includes methods of biochemistry, developmental biology, experimental cytology, bacteriology, molecular biology, epidemiology, immunology and stomatognathic physiology. The Viral Disease Program includes methods of virology, biochemical pharmacology, pharmaceutics and clinical trials. Another objective of this Dental Research Institute is to encourage research training. This Institute is administratively guided by a Policy Committee, a Director and Associate Director. The scientific efforts are evaluated by a Scientific Advisory Committee.